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Channel Tunnel migrant crisis: Use Army, says Farage Calais crisis: Nigel Farage fears holidaymaker deaths
(about 1 hour later)
Nigel Farage has called for the Army to be drafted in to ease the migrant crisis at Calais, amid calls from all parties for stronger UK action. Nigel Farage has warned that unless "something radical is done it is only a matter of time" before a British holidaymaker or lorry driver dies.
The UKIP leader said the French port had become "virtually lawless" and soldiers could help to search vehicles bound for the UK to deter migrants. The UKIP leader told the BBC the French port had become "virtually lawless" with nine migrants killed this year.
Thousands of migrants are now trying to enter the tunnel on a nightly basis. He said he experienced it when migrants had tried to get into his car as he queued for the Channel Tunnel.
Labour's Keith Vaz has urged David Cameron to hold talks with Francois Hollande on his return from Asia. Mr Farage said the "intensity and the desperate efforts" of would-be migrants "are becoming more severe".
His comments came after successive nights in which thousands of migrants have tried to enter the tunnel under the Channel between France and the UK.
Home Secretary Theresa May is holding a meeting of the emergency committee Cobra, while Labour's Keith Vaz has urged David Cameron to hold talks with Francois Hollande on his return from Asia.
Speaking in Malaysia on Wednesday, Mr Cameron said the situation in Calais was "very concerning" but the government was working closely with the French authorities and was prepared to contribute more money to improve security at the port.Speaking in Malaysia on Wednesday, Mr Cameron said the situation in Calais was "very concerning" but the government was working closely with the French authorities and was prepared to contribute more money to improve security at the port.
Home Secretary Theresa May is holding a meeting of the emergency committee Cobra on Wednesday morning.
A man was killed on Tuesday when 1,500 migrants tried to storm the Eurotunnel terminal, French police have said, the latest in a series of efforts to penetrate the route in recent weeks. Nine people have been killed at Calais in the last eight weeks.A man was killed on Tuesday when 1,500 migrants tried to storm the Eurotunnel terminal, French police have said, the latest in a series of efforts to penetrate the route in recent weeks. Nine people have been killed at Calais in the last eight weeks.
The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said the UK and France had reached an outline agreement on a scheme to repatriate some migrants - who are mainly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Afghanistan - but there were no details as yet of how it would work.The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said the UK and France had reached an outline agreement on a scheme to repatriate some migrants - who are mainly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Afghanistan - but there were no details as yet of how it would work.
Mr Farage, who is an MEP for the south of England, said unless the French authorities were willing to "enforce law and order around those terminals", then the UK should step in.Mr Farage, who is an MEP for the south of England, said unless the French authorities were willing to "enforce law and order around those terminals", then the UK should step in.
'Terrible price''Terrible price'
British holidaymakers, businesses and residents in Kent were "paying a terrible price" for the failure of the French authorities and the shortcomings of the European Union's asylum policy, he told BBC Radio 4's Today. British holidaymakers, businesses and residents in Kent were "paying a terrible price" for the failure of the French authorities and the shortcomings of the European Union's asylum policy, he told BBC London.
"I was stuck on that road outside Eurotunnel a few weeks ago. I was there for about 40 minutes and I was surrounded by scores of migrants, crossing the motorway and trying the passenger doors on my car. It is a pretty scary situation."I was stuck on that road outside Eurotunnel a few weeks ago. I was there for about 40 minutes and I was surrounded by scores of migrants, crossing the motorway and trying the passenger doors on my car. It is a pretty scary situation.
"The British government appears not to want to criticise the French government at all but frankly they are not doing enough.""The British government appears not to want to criticise the French government at all but frankly they are not doing enough."
The UK, he added, must also get tougher on illegal immigrants because, at the moment, those risking their lives coming to Britain did so "knowing that if they get here they are very unlikely to be removed".The UK, he added, must also get tougher on illegal immigrants because, at the moment, those risking their lives coming to Britain did so "knowing that if they get here they are very unlikely to be removed".
"I think what the British government needs to do is to send out a very clear, strong message.""I think what the British government needs to do is to send out a very clear, strong message."
Earlier, Mr Farage told LBC Radio that the army may be needed to be brought in to Calais - where the UK and France have juxtaposed border controls - help a "very overburdened police force and border agency".Earlier, Mr Farage told LBC Radio that the army may be needed to be brought in to Calais - where the UK and France have juxtaposed border controls - help a "very overburdened police force and border agency".
"If in a crisis to make sure we've actually got the manpower to check lorries coming in to stop people illegally coming to Britain if in those circumstances we can use the army or other forces, then why not," he said."If in a crisis to make sure we've actually got the manpower to check lorries coming in to stop people illegally coming to Britain if in those circumstances we can use the army or other forces, then why not," he said.
Mr Farage told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme that he was surprised the French had not brought in their Army to help with the situation, as they had done on other occasions.
He added: "I sometimes get the impression they'd be quite pleased if everybody just got on the next train and disappeared off to Britain."
'Lax''Lax'
Politicians have called for freight to diverted to other cross-channel routes to ease the pressure on the Dover to Calais crossing and to help address the problems on the M20 - where lorries have been "stacked" on a southbound stretch of the motorway for weeks, restricting access to non-freight traffic.Politicians have called for freight to diverted to other cross-channel routes to ease the pressure on the Dover to Calais crossing and to help address the problems on the M20 - where lorries have been "stacked" on a southbound stretch of the motorway for weeks, restricting access to non-freight traffic.
The Conservative MP for Folkestone and Hythe, Damian Collins, said the chaos at Calais was having "terrible" repercussions for Kent but the problems were happening "principally on French territory" and the French authorities needed to do more to defend the Channel Tunnel.The Conservative MP for Folkestone and Hythe, Damian Collins, said the chaos at Calais was having "terrible" repercussions for Kent but the problems were happening "principally on French territory" and the French authorities needed to do more to defend the Channel Tunnel.
"They have allowed people to willingly break into the Channel Tunnel site," he told BBC Radio 4's Today. "I can't believe they would be that lax in protecting an airport or another sensitive facility but that has happened constantly throughout the summer. So they have to enforce their own restrictions.""They have allowed people to willingly break into the Channel Tunnel site," he told BBC Radio 4's Today. "I can't believe they would be that lax in protecting an airport or another sensitive facility but that has happened constantly throughout the summer. So they have to enforce their own restrictions."
The UK is providing £7m ($11m) of additional funding for new fencing at the terminal, the latest contribution it has made to try and secure the site.The UK is providing £7m ($11m) of additional funding for new fencing at the terminal, the latest contribution it has made to try and secure the site.
Mr Collins said the French needed to put more of its own resources into defending the tunnel, adding: "It is not just a migrant crisis it is also the strike. This summer we've had weeks of strike action with criminal damage which has caused massive disruption. The French authorities have to get a grip of that too."Mr Collins said the French needed to put more of its own resources into defending the tunnel, adding: "It is not just a migrant crisis it is also the strike. This summer we've had weeks of strike action with criminal damage which has caused massive disruption. The French authorities have to get a grip of that too."
Mr Vaz, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said a solution could only be reached if the crisis was dealt with by heads of government. Mr Cameron, he said, should meet with the French President the moment he returns for a trade trip to south-east Asia.Mr Vaz, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said a solution could only be reached if the crisis was dealt with by heads of government. Mr Cameron, he said, should meet with the French President the moment he returns for a trade trip to south-east Asia.
"The French police need to show zero tolerance and end the daily onslaught of thousands of people trying to board the freight trains," he added."The French police need to show zero tolerance and end the daily onslaught of thousands of people trying to board the freight trains," he added.